Approved Provider List for Supply of Care Services in Supported Housing

The contracting entity seeks to establish an Approved Provider List (APL) for organizations capable of providing care services in supported housing settings. The procurement focuses on acquiring care and support services for individuals with diverse needs, encompassing people with learning disabilities/autism, mental health needs, physical disabilities, and other service user categories as determined by the Council.

Successful applicants must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England for personal care and possess a minimum of two years' experience. Nominated locations must hold a CQC rating of 'Good' or 'Outstanding'. The APL will encompass services categorized as 'Community services - learning disabilities' and/or 'Supported living', with specialisms in 'Learning disabilities' and/or 'Mental health conditions'.

The APL is open for new applications throughout its term, enabling organizations to join if they meet the selection requirements. The Council and associate bodies will utilize the APL to call off services based on individual needs and service specifications. Successful providers may be required to submit annual service development plans. Social value considerations may be factored into the evaluation criteria. The APL can be accessed by various NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. All applications must be submitted electronically through the eTendering system.

This procurement procedure is considered to be subject to the Light Touch Regime under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The Approved Provider List (APL) will be an open list: applicants can apply to join during its term if the applicant satisfies the selection requirements. The APL will be open for new applications from the date of publication of the invitation to participate documents and will remain open for new applications at any time during the APLs term. Following an evaluation process applicants will receive an outcome notification. Service users will predominantly be people with learning disabilities/autism, people with mental health needs, people with physical disabilities. But will also include a number of any other service user category. As determined appropriate the Council reserves the right to utilise the APL for the awarding of contracts under the Transforming Care agenda involving people with a learning disability and/or autism and who display behaviours that can be described as challenging.
Successful applicants will be required to sign an APL Agreement and will be appointed as a provider. The APL will be used by the Council and associates to call-off when care and support is required in a supported housing setting. The call-off procedure provides flexibility in the way the Council will formulate and award service contracts with the intention of providing the best possible care and support to people and will be based upon the core service specification and core service contract. Existing business is anticipated to be retained by existing providers who have been successful in applying to the APL, on the basis of Service user choice. It is also anticipated that new business will arise each year. Successful providers may be required to produce an annual service development plan for each service contract to respond to changing needs and have regard to service efficiency and improvement. Social value may form part of the award criteria evaluation. The associate bodies, or their successors that can call off from this agreement are: NHS Chorley and South Ribble CCG, NHS East Lancashire CCG, NHS Fylde/Wyre CCG, NHS Greater Preston CCG, NHS Morecambe Bay CCG, NHS West Lancashire CCG and NHS Blackburn with Darwen CCG as well as Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. All aspects (documents/attachments/responses) of the application can and must be submitted via the eTendering system. The Council will not accept email or hard copy/paper applications in relation to this process and you must make your application electronically via the eTendering portal.
Contract is suitable for SMEs?: Yes
Contract is suitable for VCSEs?: Yes

Additional Text

The Council requires applicants to be registered with the CQC in England for the services and that the applicant has been registered with CQC for the regulated activity of personal care for a minimum of 2 years at the time of application. CQC Registration must reflect a type of service of 'Community services - learning disabilities' and/or 'Supported living' and specialisms/services of 'Learning disabilities' and/or 'Mental health conditions'.
Nominated locations put forward must be rated 'Good' or 'Outstanding' by CQC.
See invitation to participate for full requirements, particularly in regard to requirements concerning: insurance, financial ratios, consortia requirements, mandatory and discretionary exclusion criteria, references and past performance/experience.